Powered by RedCircle
This week, host Luke Barton checks in with Capt. Trip Seed of Baya Romer Charters and Capt. Andy Kim of Sashimi Sportfishing. From cobia challenges to post-storm wreck action, both captains share their on-the-water experiences, gear setups, and strategies as September fishing transitions into fall.
Conditions Recap
Late-summer fishing in the Lower Chesapeake Bay has been hampered by persistent northeast winds since early August, creating rough conditions and making cobia sightings scarce. A recent storm dropped water temperatures from the low 70s to around 67–68°F, stirred up sediment, and pushed baitfish deeper. These changes have made surface action inconsistent, leaving many fish holding tight to the bottom or scattered offshore.
Capt. Trip Seed – Baya Romer Charters
Capt. Trip Seed, longtime Chesapeake Bay angler and firefighter, joined the show to introduce his newly upgraded 32’ custom charter boat, Dr. Dre. The vessel, equipped with fresh electronics and a Garmin 110 trolling motor, allows him to expand into wreck and striper fishing while continuing his bread-and-butter cobia trips.
Trip described this cobia season as one of the toughest in years, with northeast winds limiting opportunities. On good days, he’s still sight-fishing cobia, but he’s careful not to push clients out in unsafe or uncomfortable conditions. Instead, he reschedules or pivots, emphasizing integrity over simply collecting a charter fee.
Interestingly, Trip now favors treble hooks for cobia after switching from J-hooks last year. He reports better hookup ratios and fewer pulled fish, particularly when fishing with live croaker, spot, or bunker instead of eels.
He also highlighted shifting migration patterns—more cobia pushing north, pods showing up earlier in July, and many fish holding deep instead of cruising on the surface. One recaptured, tagged fish had grown 10 inches in just under a year, illustrating how rapidly these fish develop and how widely they travel.
For anglers booking fall trips, Capt. Trip will pivot to inshore speckled trout and puppy drum fishing on his smaller privateer. More information is available at Baya Romer Charters.
Capt. Andy Kim – Sashimi Sportfishing
After the storm, Capt. Andy Kim of Sashimi Sportfishing found bay waters dirty with less than a foot of visibility and water temps dipping into the upper 60s. Cobia action all but disappeared, forcing him to pivot toward sheepshead, tautog, and wreck species.
Andy explained that September marks a transition when wreck fishing turns on. Sea bass, flounder, tautog, and triggerfish begin feeding heavily as they push east into deeper water. He noted that larger sea bass are more common this time of year, eliminating the need to cull through endless “chicken finger” fillets.
His go-to setup for triggers is a simple chicken rig tied with smaller 1/0 Gamakatsu octopus hooks, baited with chunks of bonito or mackerel, which hold up better than squid. For sea bass, squid remains the classic choice, though he often catches both species on the same rigs.
Andy also shared practical wreck-fishing advice. While trolling motors and Spot-Lock have made things easier, drifting or anchoring with a proper wreck anchor still works. He described rigging a wreck anchor with chain and heavy zip ties so it can be pulled free without bending—an old-school but highly effective technique.
Looking ahead, Andy is excited for the fall wreck season, especially tautog fishing with crab baits. He reminded anglers that while cobia charters are still an option through the end of the season, wreck trips provide more consistent action and plenty of tasty fillets for the cooler.
To book a trip, find Capt. Andy on Facebook and Instagram at Sashimi Sportfishing.
